Riviera

The ninth casino opened along Las Vegas Boulevard and for a long time the third oldest still surviving (after Flamingo and Sahara), Riviera was also one of the few remaining independently owned properties in the area, and occupied a relatively small site near the north end of The Strip, opposite Circus Circus and adjacent to the unfinished Fontainebleau. Following years of declining revenue, and bankruptcy of the holding company, the casino finally closed in May 2015, and was demolished in 2016.

The hotel was known as 'The Riv' to its regulars, and appealed more to traditional gamblers and an older clientele, reflecting its long standing traditions and history as one of the select group of casinos frequented by the 'Rat Pack' in the 60s and 70s. In the past it was home to such stars as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Liberace and Barbara Streisand. Riviera had a Mediterranean theme, but lacked any flashy central attraction as is found in many of the larger, more recent, family-oriented resorts.

Room rates were quite low, due to the northerly location and moderate standard of accommodation, but Riviera offered all the facilities of the larger casinos, including a pleasant courtyard garden with sizeable pool (in shadow much of the day), tennis courts, a shopping arcade, various restaurants, bars & nightclubs, and extensive conference space. In addition to regular one-off entertainment specials, Riviera also staged the long running Crazy Girls topless revue.